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House Honors Former Delegate, Minority Leader Doug Skaff
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, presents House Resolution 9 to the family of Doug Skaff on the House floor Feb. 5, 2026.Perry Bennett/WV Legislative Photography
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The House of Delegates honored former Minority Leader Doug Skaff on the floor Thursday.
The House unanimously approved House Resolution 9, honoring Skaff’s life and public service following his death in a car accident last June.
He represented Kanawha County in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 2008 to 2014, and again from 2018 to 2023. He served as minority leader for the Democratic Party from 2020 to 2023.
In October 2023, Skaff switched political affiliations to the Republican Party and announced a bid for Secretary of State. He lost the primary election for the Republican ticket in May 2024.
Outside of state politics, Skaff was also a husband, father and the owner HD Media. The company operates West Virginia newspapers including the Charleston Gazette-Mail and the Huntington-based Herald-Dispatch.
A screen in the House of Delegates displays information about House Resolution 9 Feb. 5, 2026.
Photo Credit: Perry Bennett/WV Legislative Photography
Clerk Jeff Pack read the resolution on the floor, noting Skaff’s service as House Minority Leader and his business accomplishments.
“His legacy will be remembered not only through the laws he helped craft, but through the friendships he forged and the mentorship he provided to many who sought to serve the Mountain State,” Pack read.
The resolution also extended the body’s condolences to Skaff’s family, who were present in the chamber to receive the honor.
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